One of my favorite movies of all time is Top Gun. Ask anyone that I hang out with on any kind of regular basis and they will tell you I look for opportunities to drop in a Top Gun movie quote during the course of conversation. I will frequently utilize the quote, "Negative ghost rider, the pattern is full." However, today my mind turns towards a conversation that Charlie has with Maverick in the movie where she tells him, "When I first met you, you were larger than life. Look at you. You're not going to be happy unless you're going Mach-2 with your hair on fire and you know it."
Here's the truth, some of us are hardwired to be busy; constantly on the go. Others of us fall into that trap because of circumstances do to job, family or other commitments. In the fast paced life we often encounter here in the western world (whether self-imposed or contextually imposed), we find it next to impossible to really slow down. This, my friends, is counter to the scriptures.
The God who created us and loves us knows that we must have times of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual renewal. We must get out of the hectic pace of life and slow down long enough to re-encounter God. We were given the gift of sabbath for that very reason. Jesus modeled time in retreat and prayer, I believe, for this very reason.
In Psalm 46:10a, the psalmist writes, "Be still and know that I am God..." While this is counter-intuitive, it is a necessary practice for our connection to God and our continuing spiritual growth. Many of us that practice daily morning or evening devotionals could still learn something from this gentle reminder from the psalter. Getting still, clearing the white noise of our lives, and leaning more fully into our relationship with God can help to renew our very beings.
Today's prayer - Holy God, even in the midst of our time that we set aside for you, we can find ourselves inundated with pressures from the outside world. God, help shape our devotional lives. Help us to clear our minds and focus solely on you. Use our times of retreat into you to convict us, shape us, mold us, and recreate us more fully in your image Lord. Still our minds, quiet our hearts and do a deep work within us. Not that we would be glorified Lord, but rather that in our drawing closer to you, we would come to know you more and in our returning to the world, would be better reflections of your Holy image. We ask this in Christ's name. Amen.
Here's the truth, some of us are hardwired to be busy; constantly on the go. Others of us fall into that trap because of circumstances do to job, family or other commitments. In the fast paced life we often encounter here in the western world (whether self-imposed or contextually imposed), we find it next to impossible to really slow down. This, my friends, is counter to the scriptures.
The God who created us and loves us knows that we must have times of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual renewal. We must get out of the hectic pace of life and slow down long enough to re-encounter God. We were given the gift of sabbath for that very reason. Jesus modeled time in retreat and prayer, I believe, for this very reason.
In Psalm 46:10a, the psalmist writes, "Be still and know that I am God..." While this is counter-intuitive, it is a necessary practice for our connection to God and our continuing spiritual growth. Many of us that practice daily morning or evening devotionals could still learn something from this gentle reminder from the psalter. Getting still, clearing the white noise of our lives, and leaning more fully into our relationship with God can help to renew our very beings.
Today's prayer - Holy God, even in the midst of our time that we set aside for you, we can find ourselves inundated with pressures from the outside world. God, help shape our devotional lives. Help us to clear our minds and focus solely on you. Use our times of retreat into you to convict us, shape us, mold us, and recreate us more fully in your image Lord. Still our minds, quiet our hearts and do a deep work within us. Not that we would be glorified Lord, but rather that in our drawing closer to you, we would come to know you more and in our returning to the world, would be better reflections of your Holy image. We ask this in Christ's name. Amen.
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